Australian Sports Entertainment

Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Australian Politics: 'No Bull' Turnbull To Host Anti-Filter Forum, by Greg Tingle - 4th August 2010

Australian master politician and accomplished businessman, Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull has listened to concerned citizens: mums and dads and the business world and will host an anti-filter forum in Sydney, Australia this Saturday.

Media Man and Gambling911 bring you this no bull report covering an Australian politician who listens... amazing... Former Opposition leader and Federal member of Wentworth, Malcolm Turnbull, is hosting an Internet filtering forum in Sydney this Saturday. The panel members will include former Telstra BigPond group manager, Justin Milne, Getup! national director, Simon Sheikh, and Mr Turnbull himself! Internet projects of Mr Turnbull helped make him a millionaire including the famed OzEmail. "The proposed filter is a hot issue in Wentworth, with many voters expressing concerns over the Government’s plans," the Facebook events page said. "… Informed discussion among forum participants will ensure community views on the filter are heard. The internet forum will consider adopting community resolutions to capture the views. The event will be held on August 7 at Paddington RSL Club. Go the diggers! "If adopted, these resolutions will be presented to Senator Steven Conroy and Prime Minister Gillard as a reminder of the community’s determination to fight the proposal," the events page outlaid. Mr Turnbull is widely regarded as Australia's most internet savvy member of Parliament. He was dumped by as Liberal Leader in December 2009, with his views on climate change seen to be a key factor. Mr Turnbull was replaced by Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott, however Media Man street surveys indicated many Australian's think the "No Bull" man will be a future Australian Prime Minister if he wants to be. He remains one of Australia's most respected and financially wealthy politicians and is seen as quite the 'Peoples Champion'. Punters, er readers, stay glued to Media Man reports via Gambling911 for more "can't miss" information on the Australian casino and political wars. Gambling911 Politics http://www.gambling911.com/politics.html Media Man Profiles Australia Politics Censorship Portals

Some online poker and online casino brands are understand to have made secret Australian internet blacklist.

The Gillard Government is staying on messages that its mainly about protecting children, however the vast majority of media companies and the population at large now firmly believes its more about attempting to censor the news, filter out negative political commentary (as done in China) and banning things that don't fit their political agenda. The government is trying to get Australian ISP's to agree to enforcing its laws. Overall the current government trying to control the population and this is documented on various Australian newspaper reports. The reader could be forgiven for having flashbacks to movies such as 'They Live', '1984', 'Clockwork Orange' and 'The Net'. Malcolm "No Bull" Turnbull is the representative for Wentworth, a Liberal Party member, and many people believe is a future Australian Prime Minister. Liberal's Tony Abbott is the current leader of the Liberal party and Lib's are now favored to become the new government of Australia is a few short weeks, with political betting trends at Centrebet and elsewhere backing this up. Mr Turnbull enjoys a colourful history with Australia's original casino and gambling tycoon, Kerry Packer, and has spoken highly of James Packer friend and associate, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, who spearheads GenerationOne which is focused on creating sustainable employment opportunities for thousands of Indigenous Australians. Packer has already employed hundreds and Turnbull has been encouraged, some say even inspired, by the Forrest - Packer collaboration. Packer is a resident in Turnbull's political electorate which includes Bondi Beach. Turnbull, being a team player, fully supports Tony "The Bruiser" Abbott in his quest to become the new Aussie Prime Minister. The smart money says Liberal will win the election and that this weekends Anti-Filter forum will be a rip snorter.

*Greg Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911 *Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company. They cover a dozen industry sectors including gaming and offer political commentary and analysis.

*The writer owns shares in Crown Limited Website Network Media Man International Media Man Media Man Australia Media Man Network Casino News Media Global Gaming Directory

Australian Gambling, Betting, Sports and Political News; Massive News Week Down Under

It's been a massive week for the gambling, igaming, sports betting and political news world. iGaming powerhouses Richard Branson's Virgin Casino has just released Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (which Party already has). Virgin also advises Thor will be released this. With Party and Virgin offering Call of Action, Thor and soon, King Kong, this is likely to further damage InterCasino which had the games over a year ago however failed to make the most of the lucrative and exciting Asia Pacific region. Aussie punters take note...

Politics

A massive week in Australian politics... Australian casino king James Packer spotted playing golf with Sen Stephen Conroy two Sundays ago. Their spot of golf at Lord Williams private golf club coincidentally (or not) came on the same day that the government announced a $250 million licence fee reduction for free-to-air television stations. Insiders including those at The Sydney Morning Herald reckon that Mr Packer has been twisting Conroy's arm about a fairer deal for Foxtel. Mr Packer owns a 25% interest in pay television station Foxtel. Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott, has labelled the 250 million as an attempt by the government to bribe the networks in return for favourable coverage in an election year. Mr Abbott backed off only a little yesterday after the networks expressed their displeasure. "The last thing I would ever do is accuse professional journalists of being bribable but certainly this is a government which is always looking for favours." Mr Packer's casino business in Australia and Macau continue to power along, however Crown Melco has ceased plans to buy into a third casino in downtown Macau. Aussie insiders reckon Sen Conroy doesn't mind being mentioned in the same vein at "Casino Jack and the United States of Money". Gamers and igamers are a dangerous lot says Australian police and politicians. South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson this week caused a furore by claiming his family was more at risk from gamers than motorcycle gangs!

Australian bookies and Joe Public on the street reckon that there's at least a reasonable chance that the Labor Party will be thrown out of office at the next election.

Prime Minster Rudd has even publicly and privately advised that there's a chance they will loose the election. Media Man says never underestimate the power and repercussions of jackass policy (Australian internet censorship filter). Australian are well known for the passion of gambling and porn, both of which can be addictions of sorts, so if you attack that too much, you might kiss the election goodbye nurse. Tony "The Bruiser" Abbot VS Kevin "Bloody" Rudd The election polls suggest a comeback and now the punters are starting to see value in the straight-talking Tony Abbott. Bookies say the 2010 federal election is now shaping up as a contest, with 80 per cent of recent bets backing the new Liberal Leader against Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Mr Rudd is still odds-on favourite, returning just $1.20 from Centrebet if he stays in The Lodge. But the Coalition under Mr Abbot has tightened to $3.85 - the first time it has been under $4 in more than a year. The betting market rally follows several polls suggesting a modest turnaround in political fortunes. Centrebet's Neil Evans said the agency had been forced to reassess its prices after several big bets in recent days. One punter wagered $10,000 on Mr Abbott at $4.25, and another invested $5000 at $4. "Of the last 50 bets of any amount that have been laid, nearly 80 per cent is for the Coalition," Mr Evans said. "It's the first crucial sign the Coalition is getting right back into the battle after the Labor government had dominated with punters for two years." He said Centrebet was holding about $160,000 on the election contest, with about 75 per cent on Labor to win. August 28 is firming at the most likely election date, according to Centrebet punters. Sports and Olympic Fever Between the Vancouver Games, UFC 110 in Sydney and bits and bobs there's serious betting occurring this week. Australia's Torah Bright snowboarding champion babe wins Gold! UFC 110 in Sydney, Australia this Sunday 21st - betting by punters has been hot and heavy with BetUS.com and others all taking considerable bets, which is not surprising considering UFC's Dana White advised the Sydney live event sold out in less that a day and that Australia is one of the strongest markets for DVD sales. Real heat exists between Noguiera and Velasquez and things got testy at yesterdays press conference. George Sotiropoulos is the leading Australian contender at present, a lightweight who is unbeaten in the UFC and facing Joe Stevenson on the UFC 110 main card. Like Sinosic and Haseman before him, he can be this generation’s trailblazer for MMA in Australia. But fight fans won’t soon forget the first two. “Both of us put in the hard yards,” said Sinosic. “When we started, it wasn’t mixed martial arts, it was no holds barred, and we were really discovering what it was all about. It’s great to get the recognition ourselves, but more importantly to see the sport get the recognition and respect it deserves. To see the mainstream press here treating us like athletes and not like barroom brawlers, I’m just glad to be a part of it all.”

ONE will broadcast the event live in Australia this Sunday. Casino Legal The Australian Productivity Commission will finally release the Gambling Report this week, insiders say within days.

The event is likely to be held again in gaming hotspot Macau.

Poker Rennie Carnevale won the Adelaide heat of the Australia New Zealand Poker Tournament held this past weekend. The 21 year old picked up a cool $165,900. PokerStars remains the poker brand behind the well established and respected poker event. Horse Racing Veteran bookmaker Con Kafataris will hang up his satchel after 34 years on Sydney racetracks to concentrate on his online betting agency, Centrebet. The managing director of Centrebet said he would close CK Racing, the on-track bookmaking operation, after the Easter racing carnival because of regulatory reforms around corporate rivals and the changing composition of traditional punters. The announcement came as Centrebet recorded a first-half net profit of $6.3 million, up 19 per cent on the same time last year, and declared a 5.5c unfranked dividend which represented a 77 per cent payout ratio. "It's a combination of factors; the global financial crisis which started a year ago has impacted the high-end recreational punter that would come to the track," Mr Kafataris said. "They stopped coming to the track or they reduced their activity". Just maybe Con or his spies noticed that

Media Man

The worst kept secret in Australian racing is that betting giant Betfair has significantly hurt the bottom line of the traditional TAB and bookie on track takings. Aussie Female Gamblers - University Of Queensland Report Typical Australian gamblers are no longer just men playing poker, with more women becoming addicted, isolated and even suicidal, a researcher from The University of Queensland has warned. UQ School of Tourism researcher and hospitality management lecturer, Dr Timothy Lee, says gambling in Australia is becoming more and more ``feminised''. Dr Lee says a third of problem gamblers are women at a time when Australia leads the world in the number of poker machines and $6 million a day is pushed through their slots! Court orders gambler to pay up US$1m An Australian gambler who lost more than US$1 million at a Bahamas casino while on his honeymoon in 2006 has been ordered to pay up by a Melbourne court. Former high-flying property developer Harry Kakavas had argued unsuccessfully that Paradise Island Casino in Nassau had taken advantage of his addiction to gambling. It was a second legal setback for Kakavas, who in December last year was ordered to pay Melbourne's Crown Casino the AU$1 million he owed. Meet Australia's biggest punter Meet Australia's most mysterious gambling figure: Zeljko Ranogajec, the man acknowledged by sources close to the TAB to be, by some margin, its most prolific gambler. The size of Mr Ranogajec's betting is extraordinary. It is believed he accounts for 6-8 per cent of Tabcorp's $10 billion Australian betting turnover – or $600-800 million – and bets tens of millions more with local bookmakers. Once the overseas betting turnover of his 24-hour, seven-day operation is taken into account, his total annual betting spend globally is believed to be well over $1 billion. Crown Casino Gets Tough On Trouble Makers: Security Beefed Up Crown casino staff are being trained to use plastic handcuffs under a new push to control violent patrons. The move - which has angered civil libertarians - is aimed at allowing staff to more safely eject patrons who are a threat to themselves, staff and others. The lightweight cuffs would also allow chosen security officers to more easily hold troublemakers while they wait for police to arrive with their force-issued handcuffs. Senior managers have been instructed by former Victoria Police officers working in private industry in how to use the handcuffs. Crown spokesman Gary O'Neill said any move to introduce the handcuffs was at a preliminary stage and, if adopted, would only be used by the senior security staff and managers in "exceptional circumstances". He said such patrons were a risk to many in a busy environment like Crown. "That is a very dangerous situation," he said. "The thought behind it is to provide a safer regime both for our staff who are engaged in these removals, Crown customers and the people involved themselves." Mr O'Neill said Crown management would work with Victoria Police on how best to develop procedures and policies for use of the handcuffs. He said he expected they would be used rarely, if adopted, and the number of "assisted removals" was declining. Mr O'Neill said they would be in use by the end of the year, if approved. "It's at a very, very preliminary stage at the moment. It's not something we're committed to," he said. "We are very conscious that we need to develop a regime that has the approval of Victoria Police."

Handcuffs are used at the Burswood Casino in Perth. Australian Council of Civil Liberties president Terry O'Gorman said such a move would be unacceptable. "The only people using handcuffs should be trained police. You invite misuse. Crown can expect a flood of civil lawsuits," Mr O'Gorman said. "Next, they'll want capsicum spray or Tasers." Victoria Police said it was "not in a position to provide comment on whether the carriage or use of equipment by security staff is appropriate without further information".

Events Gaming, Racing & Wagering Australia - 22nd - 23rd March, Star City Casino iGB Down Under in Sydney, Australia - 23rd to 25th March, Star City Casino Do politics, sports and gambling mix? You be the judge!

As per usual, punters, bet with your head, not over it, and for Christ's sake, keep it fun. If it stops being fun its likely time to top. Good punting till next time.

*The writer is a special contributor for Gambling911.com *The writer owns shares in Crown Holdings *The writer is the director and founder of Media Man, primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company http://www.mediamanint.com

Sunday, January 9, 2022

WWE Royal Rumble 2022

WWE Universal Championship

Roman Reigns (Champion) vs. Seth Rollins

WWE Championship
Brock Lesnar (Champion) vs. Bobby Lashley

30-Man Royal Rumble match
Announced so far: Angelo Dawkins, Montez Ford, Rey Mysterio, Dominik Mysterio, Austin Theory, Johnny Knoxville, Sheamus

30-Women Royal Rumble match
Announced so far: Nikki A.S.H., Rhea Ripley, Tamina, Dana Brooke, Zelina Vega, Carmella, Aliyah, Natalya, Naomi, Shotzi Blackheart, Shayna Baszler, Charlotte Flair, Mickie James, Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Lita, Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly, Summer Rae

WWE Raw Women’s Championship
Becky Lynch (Champion) vs. Bianca Belair or Doudrop or Liv Morgan

Mix Tag Team Match
Edge and Beth Phoenix vs. The Miz and Maryse